The invention relates generally to the field of materials handling and more particularly, to the field of mechanical aids for transporting containers.
Humans have long utilized containers to move objects from one place to another. Such containers may be large or small and may house precious cargo, refuse, and anything in between. For personal travel, humans often carry luggage such as suitcases, travel bags, briefcases, trunks, bottles, and the like. They may utilize specialized cases for transporting musical instruments, electronic equipment, and even liquids. Some containers may have wheels. Others may be designed to be carried in the hand or on one or more shoulders. For each of these personal travel types of containers, it is desirable to have a handle, strap, or other means of manipulating the container.
Many such handles are rigid and immovably attached to the container. Straps are typically less rigid or even loose and may be fixed or removable from the container. Non-rigid straps and handles are beneficial in many respects but, when not in use, are prone to tangling and otherwise obstructing the area around the container. For instance, where a briefcase having a strap is tossed into a car as the driver gets in, that strap can often snag on a hand brake or gearshift lever when the person attempts to leave the vehicle and take the briefcase along. When such a case has been placed under an airplane seat, the loose strap may become entangled with seat components, or may cause a passenger to trip and possibly fall. Similarly, even the straps on a backpack create a trip hazard when placed on the floor of a classroom. As another example, the strap on a purse or pocketbook may become lodged in the closing doors of an automobile or subway car and cause injury. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a strap for a container which minimizes the potential for damage, inconvenience, and injury caused by loose straps. There is also a need in the art for a strap which may be removably attachable to many different containers.